Kshatrani - The Warrior Princess

The Proposal

Location: Maharaj Vasudev's chamber. The elders are talking about Subhadra's future; months are going by and she hasn't made up her mind. Yuvraj Balram enters.

"Pitashree," Balram said with an air of pompous graciousness. "I've found someone."

"For what?" Mata Rohini asks.

"You've got no reason to worry about Subhadra's marriage." Balram said. "I've just been asked by the Prince of Hastinapur for her hand in marriage."

"Prince of Hastinapur?" his wife Queen Revati asked.

"Yes, Duryodhan, the one I teach mace-fighting too." Balram said. "Not only is he and excellent student, but a perfect match for my sister."

"But-putra, Duryodhan, we know he's a little....on the wrong side of the tracks." Maharaj Vasudev said carefully. "Besides, we were planning a Swayamvar, where a worthy prince would marry her."

"Nonsense, father." Balram said dismissively. "I've gotten to know him over the past two years and he is a gentleman, I know he will keep Subhadra very happy. And what's more, when he will be King of Hastinapur, Subhadra will be Queen. Our Subhadra, the queen of the one of the greatest long-standing empires of the Aryavart."

"But will he be king?" Mata Rohini asked. "Its difficult for us to let our daughter-"

"Mata. I love Subhadra as much as you do and care for her future." Balram said, cutting her off. "I assure you Duryodhan is the best choice. I have seen him progress in my company, I've made this a personal priority of mine to get her married."

"Get me married?" Subhadra asked, walking in to see all the elders in discussion. "Not even a Swayamvar?"

"Subhadra," Balram rushed towards her, his hands on her shoulders, seating her on one of the chairs as he spoke. "You can't stay at home much longer. Your age for marriage will soon pass, and it will get harder to find a suitable groom for you. As for a Swayamvar, why mine through rocks when the diamond is lying in front of your eyes?"

"So," Subhadra choked out, "you'll just bind me off to anyone now? Am I such a burden to you, Dau?"

Her words seemed to prick him. "Not anyone, dear sister. Prince Duryodhan is perfect for you, believe me, you will rule over the Aryavart soon."

"Dau....I don't want to rule a kingdom, I-"

"Subhadra, you say that now, but soon enough when you are Queen you will see I have made the right choice."

"Mata, Pitashree, you agree with this?" She asked, almost scared. "You want me to get married as soon as possible?"

"Putri, we.....we want you to get married soon, Balram is right, the ideal age will pass and....." Maharaj Vasudev said, struggling to convey this to Subhadra without hurting her, especially when Balram's words seemed to physically bite into her.

Subhadra turned towards the door, dejected. "You've all just decided to get me married then? You won't ask me if I want to marry this prince?"

"Subhadra," Balram began, exasperated. "Trust me. This is for your own good. I will speak with Maharaj Dhritrashtra and we shall take it from there."

Maharaj Vasudev's "Putri, wait!" seemed to have no effect as Subhadra turned her back towards them and marched out of the chamber. As soon as she was out, her eyes welled up with tears, and she brushed them away with a wipe of her hand. 

An unsettling tension had settled into the air when she left. Balram watched her go, then turned to his parents, "It's just a phase. It'll soon pass and she'll see clearly my choice is the right choice."

Subhadra walked into her chamber and shut the doors, her thoughts racing back and forth, her breath coming out in shallow gasps of air.

What was happening to her life? She wanted to marry someone she had chosen....instead her family wanted to marry her off because the ideal age shall pass? She didn't care about the ideal age. Couldn't they see, she didn't want to be a Queen, she didn't want a kingdom, she wanted respect and a loving husband- explicitly one she had a connection with. She was shocked that her parents agreed with her brother, because she thought they were always on her side. 

She might have considered this if she was marrying another prince. They all knew, even if Bhrata Balram turned a blind eye towards it, that Prince Duryodhan was inherently evil, he always did the wrong things- being with him couldn't possibly be right thing for her, she would feel strangled in her marriage, lost, grappling with her position in her own life, she would be tethered like cattle to a prince who would nothing but misuse his relations with her. If she married him, she'd have to stand in support of the wrong things, against the very Pandavs she admired-she couldn't live with herself if she sided with the wrong.

All through her life, she was taught the skills so that she'd be ready for anything, and now she'd have to restrict her creative freedom, to stand in support for a cause that she had no real heart towards? This marriage would be a terrible mistake, why was fate playing these cruel tricks with her? It was unfair. Unjust. She had her own rights to make her own choice. Yet it was her brother, the very brother who protected his sister from every evil, one who stood for her-this brother was getting her married to this Duryodhan, one who had very cleverly thrown dust into his eyes. She couldn't....she couldn't let this marriage happen. 

Subhadra paced her room, her mind a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. She couldn't fathom how her brother could be so blind to Duryodhan's true nature. Despite her parents' usual support, their agreement with Dau on this matter felt like a betrayal. How could they not see that this marriage was a disaster waiting to happen?

Determined not to be a passive participant in her own life, Subhadra decided she had to act. She had to find a way to make her family understand her perspective. Princesses rarely ever did this because they were fine with being married to absolutely anyone, she was not going to be one of them. If she was even going to attempt this, she needed Bhrata Krishna's help.

It was as if a light had been turned on in her head. Bhrata Krishna. He wouldn't let this happen, she thought, she still had someone who would help her.

Bhrata Krishna would make everything right. Maybe he was the only person who could convince Dau that this was wrong.

Her faith in Krishna restored, she took a deep breath and marched to his chambers for a word with him.

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I'm excited for the next chapters, are you? *squeals*

I'm also thinking of adding some song anecdotes in the following chapters where our heroine meets her hero :) tell me what you think of the idea.

Lots of love, A.